Atty. Agapito M. Joaquin (AMJ) was born and raised in Sangandaan, Kalookan City (formerly Rizal), Philippines.
Dedicated to his grandchildren: Apple, Patrick, Aldwin, Daniel, Paolo, Ace, Issa
and Vincent Nathan; this site was created to house his literary works, the history of Kalookan City (up to 1970), and to serve as a sangandaan for the Joaquin family and friends' websites.

The observant reader will notice the seemingly interchangeable use of
"Caloocan" (with two "C's") and "Kalookan"
(with two "K's") in the different articles contained in this
book. Those using "C's" were generally written before July
28, 1970. On that date, the Municipal Board enacted Resolution No.
106, requesting all department heads thenceforth to use the letter
"K" instead of "C" in spelling the name of the
city. The move was inspired by the wave of nationalism that engulfed
the nation in the late 1960's.So, should it be spelled with a "C" or a "K"?

A CHANNEL TO FREEDOM

The first settlement was founded at the base of the hill, on a strip of land
that could be approached only from the inland lagoon on which it bordered.
Called Dagat-Dagatan (miniature sea) because of its expanse, the lagoon was in
the shape of a half-moon, running from Bitas, in Tondo, to the tip (Tangos) of
Tambobong. It was separated from Manila Bay by a narrow ridge running also
from Bitas to a gaping hole in Navotas (Kinabutasan) where its waters joined the
open sea.

Dagat-Dagatan was non-navigable, but there was a deep channel running from
the mouth of Canal de la Reyna, hugging the shoreline as far as the center of
the crescent before veering westward to the hole in Navotas. A skilled
sea-farer could pilot a light watercraft downstream from Bitas to within a
hundred meters of Aromahan's shore. A little more strength and daring
would allow a banca to go upstream from Navotas to reach the same destination.

It is not known who first discovered Salusoy River, as the channel is now
called, or whether the first settlers came downstream from Bitas or upstream
from Navotas. There is also no record as to when and why they chose
Aromahan as a homesite. We first find them already with a church built in
Sitio de Espinas (Libis Espina), obviously the center of the Aromahan community.
This small church (only a chapel, in fact), was completed in 1765, built with
stones quarried from the hill and with a roofing of red tiles. [Dr.
Fausto J. Galauran (1905-1971), one of the most important sources of historical
data included in this book, wrote that as late as 1927, he saw the ruins of this
church in Libis Espina, near the house of Mariano Galler.]